The young man Salim Habib, aged 33 and originating from the Alawite sect, was killed in a homicide incident that occurred in the Masaken al-Dimas area in the countryside of Damascus, after he went missing following his departure for work on 5 March 2026. His body was later found near the earthen berm of the Fifth Island in the same area, in an incident that raises growing concerns regarding the safety of civilians amid the ongoing state of security disorder.
The victim, Salim Habib, was originally from the village of Al-Mousha, which is administratively affiliated with the Sheikh Badr district in Tartus Governorate. He had been residing in Masaken al-Dimas in rural Damascus, where he worked as a chef at one of the restaurants in the Dummar Project area.
According to the available information, the victim left his place of residence heading to his workplace on 5 March 2026, before he was later found killed near the earthen berm of the Fifth Island in Masaken al-Dimas. As of now, no confirmed information is available regarding the circumstances of the crime or the party responsible for it.
This incident comes within the broader context of the state of security breakdown and disorder affecting areas under the control of the interim authority in Syria since December 2024, following the fall of the previous regime. This period has been accompanied by increasing reports of attacks with a sectarian nature in certain areas.
These developments raise serious concerns regarding the safety of civilians, particularly individuals belonging to religious and sectarian minorities, in light of the continuing absence of sufficient security guarantees and transparent investigations into incidents of killing and violations.
